Improved brick-machine



UNITED STATES ArtNr trice.

JAMES HOTOHKISS AND EZRA BUSS, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

IMPROVED BR IGK-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,980, dated April 17,1866.

declare that the following is a full and eXact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part ot' thisspecification.

Figure l is a plan ot' the machine, some of the projecting parts beingin section Fig. 2, a vertical section thereof in a plane indicated bythe line fr x, in Fig. l; Fig. 3, a vertical section in a planeindicated by the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 4, a side elevation ot one oflthe followers detached.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the ligures.

The molds are formed concentrically in a revolving mold-wheel, B, whichpasses under the supplying-receptacle O, to be filled with clay, and thepressure is given partly by the action of a spiral win g in thereceptacle, in connection with a lifting-cam beneath, and partly inconnection with the under cam by a stationary steel plate, M, situatedjust above where the molds leave the receptacle. This plate strikes offthe surplus clay and sinooths the upper surface of the bricks. lt isheld in place under a bar, s, of the frame merely by slight springs r r,which yield when any unyielding substance, suoli as a stone, strikesagainst the plate, and allows the plate to be pushed back out of itsplace, thereby obviating any breakage ot' any part of the machine.

A little distance behind the plate M is located a clearing-scraper, L,for scraping off any loose clay on the mold-wheel. It is sustained orsuspended by a spring, in, which reaches back upon the bar s, and isheld there on by a screw or bolt, o, in a notch, p, at the rear end ofthe spring. Another screw, n,

passes down through the spring and into the plate M. By thisarrangement, when an obstruction throws out the plate M the spring mwith the scraper L is borne away thereg with, the rear end of the springslipping out from under the screw-head o.

The followers D D in the molds are raised at the proper time by astationary cam, G, till the bricks are lifted entirely out of the molds.They are respectively provided with hinged tops or lids d el, which areturned up, as shown in Fig. 2, as soon as the followers lift the bricksout of the molds. This turning up of the follower-lids throws the bricksoft' on the mold-wheel and upon their edges, so that they veying awaythan when lying flat upon their sides, as ordinarily.

The follower-lids are thus turned or tilted up by means of Verticalbolts b b,e'xtending down through the followers, in which they slideupward by the action of astationary-cam, H, Fig. 2, and are againbrought down by the action of a spring, c, as represented. There areprojections fj' on the under sides ot' the lids, against which the boltspush in lifting the lids, and they enable the lid to be thrown fullyinto a vertical position. The lids return to a horizontal position afterthe bolts b b descend, either by their own weight or by the descent ofthe followers into the molds.

In order to keep thefollowers from ascending too high in the molds, andto make their return down into the molds again certain, hooks h h, Figs.3 and 4 project from their lower sides, and these hooks run under aledge or lip, I, Fig. 3, on the side of the cam-track E, formed andarranged substantially as represented. This ledge or lip is located inthat part of the circle required for the purpose.

At the rear edge of each mold isinserted a steel or hardened-iron strip,a, which receives the wear of the material, so that the molds may remainentire and complete. These strips are generally inserted in dovetailgrooves, and they are removable, so that they may be replaced ifnecessary.

\Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. Attaching the spring-scraper L to the are more readily grasped bythehand for con- The above specification of our improved brick-machinesigned by us in presence of subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES HOTCHKISS. EZRA BUSS.

Witnesses als to Hotohkisss signature:

T. B. BROWN,

n J. KATZ.

Witnesses as to Busss signature:

EDWIN D. Buss, M. T. HARWooD.

